Most preschool teachers are so loving, caring and nurturing. They have a tendency to give, give, give, give and give some more. They are much like mothers who are so generous with their time and love. You often hear advice given to mothers to make sure they take care of themselves first. You cannot give from an empty cup they are told and it’s true. This is true for preschool teachers. Teachers that work with young children in childcare settings have different demands on their time and energy than other types of teachers. They normally work longer hours for less pay, after a while this begins to take its toll on a person. Listed below are three(3) simple things that you can do on a daily basis to take care of yourself so that doing your job as teacher is easier.

1. GET ENOUGH REST

The importance of sleep cannot be emphasized enough. Lack of sleep contributes to stress and weight gain especially around the middle, which for women causes more stress because we want to look good. Lack of sleep affects our judgement and attitude and outlook. It also creates foggy thinking. You need all the creativity and intuition you can get so sleep is essential.

2. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF EVERY DAY

Taking time for yourself is an absolute must, and must be done every day. If not you are living someone else’s life not yours. Figure out when you can do this for you. Make sure you have more than one time of day that you can fit it in. I suggest you start with first thing in the morning. Just sitting in your car a few minutes before you go in to the school is helpful. If you take public transportation then take a couple of minutes before walking out the door.

I am a mother and wife as well as a business owner so I know how sometimes even a few minutes can seem impossible to carve out. So here are some other options. The minute you awake close you eyes again and give thanks for seeing another day. I find it very helpful to set my intentions for the day also. An example is “My intentions for today are for PEACE, JOY, LOVE, COOPERATION , PATIENCE AND PUNCTUALITY. I also intend PROSPERITY, GUIDANCE AND FUN.” I also speak out loud what I am grateful for in my life while I am in the shower and thank God for these things. For me doing these things sets me up for a great day. You can also do this before you go to bed to set the intention for the next day.

3. MAKE DEEP BREATHING A HABIT

Calmness and patience are essential when dealing with small children. Deep breathing and also sighing helps you to stay calm and also release any pent up frustration or aggravation. Have more oxygen reaching your brain helps your thinking tremendously and also taps you into your intuition. This oxygen is good for us because it helps us to shift our moods and feel better . It also burns fat which is always a plus.

Doing these three things, getting proper rest, doing something just for you by taking time for yourself and making a habit of deep breathing are things that you can add to your teacher’s tool kit that will greatly support you. I recommend you work on one thing at at time until that one thing becomes a habit and then add the another thing. Choose the easiest thing you can do first. This will create success and inspire and encourage you. It will also give you the confidence to keep going. Try it and let me know how it turned out for you. I look forward to hearing from you.